Gordon the Big Engine
Gordon the Big Engine is the eighth book in the Railway Series. It was first published in 1953. It was written by the Rev W. Awdry and illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby. Stories Off the Rails One morning, Gordon was feeling grumpy- he had been called 'fat face' by Henry, cannot sleep and is told to take a special goods train of trucks, which he detests. However, his fire is slow, so Edward is called to help. Gordon complains all the way to the sheds about his special and Edward scolds him for being a silly engine. At last, Gordon has a good fire going but decides to try and not take the goods train, so when the turntable had turned halfway around, he moves forward, in an attempt to jam the turntable but this fails when he cannot stop and rolls into a ditch. Gordon wants to get out but can't- no one has time to help Gordon. Edward takes the special train instead and James and Henry rescue Gordon from the ditch during the night. When he finally reaches the shed, a miserable Gordon is now wiser for his experience. Leaves The Fat Controller, still cross with Gordon, forbids the haughty blue express engine to pull coaches until he can be trusted to be Really Useful. So instead Gordon shunts trucks, whom he bosses about. James is ordered to take a passenger train. But whilst James is going up Gordon's Hill, he slips on some wet leaves and reverses downhill because of the coaches pulling him down. Gordon has seen all this and, feeling sorry for James, helps him up Gordon's Hill. Then he returns to his trucks. Down the Mine Thomas teases Gordon about how he fell into the ditch. He finds this funny although Annie and Clarabel are appalled by Thomas' rude behaviour and scold him. Thomas doesn't care and goes to work by some lead mines. The roofs of the tunnels are able to withstand the weight of trucks, but not the weight of engines. A danger board had been put up to warn engines not to pass the board but Thomas doesn't care... so he goes past the board. His driver and fireman try to stop him but to no avail. Suddenly, the ground underneath Thomas collapses and he gets stuck in the mine. Then, the Fat Controller arrives. He scolds the tank engine then sends for Gordon to help. Thomas says sorry to Gordon but Gordon tells Thomas that he actually found the joke funny. Now that the 2 engines are both in disgrace, Gordon suggests an Alliance, to which Thomas agrees. Paint Pots and Queens The engines have a royal visitor coming who is Queen Elizabeth II. Henry is sure he will get to pull the train. But those plans burn to ashes in his firebox when he causes a painter to fall off his ladder and poor Henry is covered in paint. So the Fat Controller goes to see Thomas and Gordon where they plead to be given a chance to be Really Useful. The Fat Controller agrees and Gordon is assigned the job of the royal train and Thomas will look after the coaches. The big day comes. Edward, decorated with flags, clears the line ahead and soon Gordon arrives with the Queen. She speaks to all the engines and gives her personal thanks to Thomas for looking after the coaches, Edward for clearing the line and Gordon who takes her away. The engines feel a sense of pride especially Thomas, Edward and Gordon. Category:Railway Series Books